离境退税商店超万家 “中国购”热潮如何更持久？

Core Insights - The influx of foreign tourists to China has shifted from mere sightseeing to significant shopping, driven by optimized tax refund policies and enhanced shopping experiences [1] - As of August, the number of tax refund stores in China exceeded 10,000, with a 247.8% year-on-year increase in the number of refund beneficiaries and a 97.5% increase in sales of tax refund goods [1] Group 1: Tax Refund System Enhancements - The "immediate refund" service in Shanghai allows tourists to process tax refunds at a central point, enhancing convenience for travelers [3] - In the first half of the year, Shanghai welcomed 4.248 million inbound tourists, a 38.5% increase, with tax refund sales growing by 85% [3] - The introduction of cross-regional tax refund services in provinces like Sichuan, Yunnan, and Shaanxi allows tourists to process refunds across different regions [4][5] Group 2: Innovative Services and Consumer Experience - New online tax refund services, such as "code refund" in Sichuan, provide more options for tourists [8] - Various regions have implemented innovative refund methods, including real-time transfers to Alipay accounts and self-service tax refund machines [8] - The creation of multilingual tax refund guides and consumer maps aims to improve the understanding and accessibility of the tax refund process for foreign tourists [9] Group 3: Local Consumption Trends - Popular products among tourists include local brands and high-tech gadgets, with a notable increase in sales from local designer brands in Shanghai [7] - The tax refund system is seen as a catalyst for stimulating consumer demand among inbound tourists, encouraging local merchants to innovate [9]